Born west of Mimili, South Australia, Kunmanara Pumani was a senior Anangu woman committed to fostering traditional law and culture and preserving the Yankunytjatjara language. Pumani began painting in 2009 and has been inspired by her mother to portray her country with broad brush strokes and intense luminous palettes.
Strongly anchored to the land and the power it holds, Pumani weaved stories from her country across her canvas. Pumani painted her family's Dreaming; her mother's ngura (homeland) is Antara and her father's is near Watarru. Antara is a sacred place associated with the Maku Tjukurpa (Witchetty Grub Dreaming) and Antara, 2017, employs pale, earthy colours to depict the desert landscape, contrasted with patterns of intense, bright dots and lines to represent symbols, figures and their journeys. Her paintings portray a truth, a unique rawness, but also a joy of culture and tradition.
Location: Office of the Vice Chancellor, Adelaide University
